THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE PATTERN In Genesis 6, God instructed Noah regarding the building of the ark.  The “wickedness of man was great in the earth” and God determined to destroy man and beast and creeping things, and fowls of the air.  “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord”. In view of the coming flood, God appeared unto Noah and placed upon him the obligation to build the ark.  The ark was to be the means of preservation of the righteous. God specified the material out of which the ark was to be made, and outlined in detail the dimensions of it.  God, thus gave Noah a definite pattern for building.  In Genesis 6:22, the Divine record says, “thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” In Exodus 25, God instructed Moses with reference to building the tabernacle.   Multitudinous details and specifications were prescribed—a definite pattern was given.  Moses was warned, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount,” (Exodus 25:40).  In Hebrews 8:5, the writer refers to God’s warning to Moses, “When he is about to make the tabernacle:  for, See, said He, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount.”  In Exodus 40:16, we read, “Thus did Moses according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.” Just as God gave Noah the pattern for building the ark, and just as God gave Moses the pattern for building the Tabernacle, just so God has given mankind the pattern for building his life.  God has given the pattern for Christian character (attitudes and conduct) and the pattern for the church (organization, name, doctrine, worship, plan of salvation, mission).  And, just as Noah and Moses was obligated to build according to the pattern, so we are obligated (and privileged) to build according to the pattern.   God, who made man and knows man best, has always retained to himself the right to govern man.  And, the divine rule-book by which he seeks to govern man is the New Testament of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  The New Testament is the pattern. A pattern is something which is worthy of imitation and which is intended to be imitated.  It is a design, a guide, a model.  When God gave to Noah the pattern for the ark He was not making suggestions or recommendations.  Moses understood clearly that when God gave the pattern for the tabernacle that God was not making suggestions or recommendations.   The “pattern” nature of the New Testament is inherent in the very fact that it is the Lord’s New Testament.  In Matt. 26:28, the Lord said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins”.  In Hebrews 9:15 we read: “And for this cause he is the mediator of a new testament. . .”  Paul declares, in Gal. 3:15 “Brethren I speak after the manner of men:  Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto”.  A testament is something which is to be taken seriously.  It is not to be changed or disregarded and its conditions are to be met.  The Lord’s testament (or will) relates to marvelous blessings and benefits which are granted to certain one when those certain ones) and as long as those certain ones) meet certain conditions. Further, the fact that the New Testament is designed to be our pattern is emphatically declared in many passages in Holy Writ.  “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God:  he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).  “Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes:  that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written. . .” (1 Cor. 4:6)  “I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel; which is not another gospel:  only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema” (Gal. 1:6-8).  “I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:  and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18-19). God expects us to walk according to and to live in harmony with the divine pattern.   The Lord said, “. . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. . .” Matt. 18:20).  Paul said, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned:  and turn away from them.  For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly:  and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent” Romans 16:17-18).  Further in Eph. 5:11 Paul says, “. . . and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. . .” Finally John says in 2 John 10 “If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting:  for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works”. In three great speeches which constitute the great book of Deuteronomy, Moses emphasized to Old Testament Israel that it was because God loved them that he had given them His law—not because He had hated them; and that their love for God would cause them to be obedient to that law.  Likewise, it is because of God’ s love for us that He has given the New Testament, and our love for Him will cause us to be obedient to that Testament.  May God help us to recognize as we ought, and to appreciate as we ought, the fact that the New Testament is the pattern, and may God help us to walk according to that pattern. Bill Young